After the second week of attacks on my impatiens, I started asking neighbours if they were suffering a loss of flowers, but nope! One neighbour claimed that even the rabbits have been leaving his veggie garden alone this year. Many of my 
neighbours must have thought I was crazy, I mean, what animal would want to eat impatiens only? …though it did eat off the tops of white daisies that had already gone to seed.
I spent far too much money on impatiens back in May and June 2011. Then in July, we suffered high temperatures and no rain, forcing me to water my gardens nightly in hopes of saving my flower garden. On the second week in August of 2011, this nightly predator started attacking and eating my impatiens right down to the ground.
The critter would remove all the light coloured blossoms one night, then leaves the next night, then start on the stems the following night. I have to give the critter credit; it wasn’t wasting anything by eating the plants clear on down to the roots! And though it preferred the lighter coloured impatiens at first, it did start eating the dark red and orange impatiens once they were all that was left.
Suspecting at first that it to be a malnourished rabbit, I purchased a Havaheart trap and stocked it with fresh leaves of lettuce, and then laid fresh pieces of carrots on top of the lettuce. Three nights I set this cage up with fresh veggies… and, for three nights the critter walked right passed the cage and continued devastating my impatiens.
My Internet searches proved fruitless, and in chatting with a girlfriend who lives out in the country, she suggested it sounded more like something a ground hog would do. Ahuh! Finally… I’m REALLY not going crazy!
So, it was then off to Lowe’s I went. I purchased wire fencing which I attached to the bottom of my wooden fence, all along on the north side of my back yard, as that’s where it looked that this critter was coming into my yard from. For two nights, the critter did NOT return.
On the third night the critter returned and ate with a vengeance! More impatiens were eaten than on previously nightly visits. I wondered if the critter might have brought friends. Worrying about it becoming rabies season, I called City Hall for help, and the receptionist read off a canned statement they’ve given her to read out to those who call for help, which virtually states; “it ain’t their job, call the provincial wildlife authorities”. Wow! Remind me again…. why am I paying property tax?
Another Internet search today, and voila! I hit the jackpot. I came across Douglas Allen’s story posted at en.allexperts.com that was posted back in 2009. He TOO had been treated though he was crazy… what animal would eat only impatiens. Thanks Douglas!
Between a raccoon trying to chew its way into an outbuilding, leaving poo on the roof of a connected building as evidence… and, what appears to be the work of an opossum (impatiens eaten), I’ve been forced to hire help. Thank God for Stephen Paris at Back To The Wild 905-914-3400, who came to my rescue to remove the raccoon, and, prove Douglas right by capturing on a motion sensitive camera what I’m SURE will prove out to be an opossum!
Steve informed me, opossums climb fences just like cats do. Capturing and relocating them wouldn’t work in the long-term.
UPDATE September 2011: No night critter was captured on the camera placed in my garden for one week. Reason being, impatiens were all but lost before we got the camera to use. Darn!
Next year… NO IMPATIENS in my garden 
… I’m fed up with opossum damages. Cost is waaaay too high.
I decided to post this, in case allexperts.com should remove Douglas Allen’s post. If someone like me comes online searching for what animal eats impatiens only, well, this way at least you’ll know you’re not alone!
UPDATE August 2012 Think I found a resolve to our shared dilemma, so be sure to read through the comments below. Hopefully there’ll be product on it’s way to Kingsway Greenhouses for 2013!
26 Responses to What Animal Eats Impatiens Only? You’re Not Alone…
Interesting to read after our discussion on Saturday
Hi Carole, glad you found the post I mentioned to you. So… will you be planting impatiens in your garden next year?
I won't be.
Well here to my impatiens look dead headed and there is poop in my garden..We are taking out the plants now..I had seen a young opossum back in July in my bird feeder and got a pic of him..I was told they move on but I guess he must be still be here..
Thank YOU Marie for verifying that the opossum is truly "present and accounted for". I never did obtain an actual photo, but went with Doug's proof… being as he'd actually trapped one in his garden. Doug is located in one of the north-eastern States, and I am located in southern Ontario. If you have your photo of the young opossum in your bird feeder, feel free to post the URL in response to this reply. That way, future visitors here can view it too.
I live on Cape Cod and came home from an eight day trip to find not a stub or a root in either of the three beds of impatiens that were happily in bloom when I left. A friend had planted the beds for me as a favor and I actually called her up to ask her if she was mad at me and had removed the plants!
She then went outside to the bed she had on the far side of her house to find her impatiens gone too. Thanks for the posting. I was beginning to feel like I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone!
PS. I knew it wasnt bunnies because I have two cats and the bunnies dont come around anymore.
I know EXACTLY what you mean by wondering if you were in an episode of the Twilight Zone Kathy
…and, my compliments on your description for that "feeling".
I sure hope this "blight" (as some nurseries are calling it) soon takes a hike so we can once again enjoy impatiens in our gardens. Until then I'm going for begonias next year… lots and lots of begonias! Sure hope those scamps don't like begonias… time will tell.
Lynda August 29, 2012
Thanks so much for this – my impatiens have disappeared over the past 3 weeks and I thought it was bunnies too!
I hear ya' Lynda, and thank YOU for verifying the need for having published this post.
Mary August 13, 2012
Thanks everyone, I too thought I was crazy! I live in Connecticut and have recently noticed the flowers missing. I thought it might be to over watering or my MOLE issue but since we have see the quatra-fecta (opossum, raccoon, skunk and groundhog) all in a night, I too am sure its the opossum! Going to check for Shake-away at the local nursery tomorrow! – Mary
Well good Mary, glad this post helped save you the frustration I went through in discovering the problem. I pray there will be enough Shake-Away to go around next year. And, it kinda' makes one wonder how they collect of all the fox and bobcat urine, doesn't it?
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and returned home from vacation to find all my impatiens, not just the two small beds I'd watched slowly disappear, devoured.
We have a family of raccoons — yes, in Brooklyn (we live between the borough's largest park and its landmark cemetery) — and at least one 'possum.
I believe this hot, dry summer has made all the furries come down the tree and into the garden for impatiens. Thanks for the information! t
I too live in a city C.K. and, yes, I know what you mean about raccoons. There is a very large pair living in Peacock's lumber yard down the street from my home and they visit here often. Our recycle bins tend to attract those searching for food. Also think that like the human population, there has been an increase in 'possum population these past few years.
So I have a similar situation except that it is only happening to my plants that are not close more out in the open. I have impatiens planted along a front flowerbed. The left side has two miniature japanese maples with impatiends in front and partially under. They are HUGE as always. Then I have 7 others that are along the front edge of my bed out in the open. Alternate red and white. ALL the RED ones are wilted and gone ( thought watered every day ) the white one are doing mostly good but for one that is the same. YET they do seem to show as if they are just eat away as well as wilted. Quite perplexing in my case.
Hey ewest,
Think you'll find that the opossum are responsible for the wilting look to your impatiens. Many gardeners STILL think that earwigs are responsible for the damages… but nope. Sure, our summer has been dry and lacking in lots of rain (which impatiens prefer) but, you said you watered yours every day? So… unless you over watered them… you have the same problem as my garden.
Near the first of this summer (though I swore I wouldn't plant impatiens this year) it was thought that I was over watering them… then the little rascal started leaving more obvious signs that made me realize they're baaaack!
Keep a watch on your impatiens, and I'll betchya' you'll see them devouring your impatiens more and more every day. My gardens have nice high fences to keep other critters out… dang! I could use a fox or two from 1AM until 4AM nightly. Oh well!
This is the first year I have experienced the exact phenomenon and the same time line as your article! Trust me, the rabbits are so glad I read this before initiating "the plan":-) !Oh yea ,next year I will plant with greater knowledge! Again, much thanks, great article!
Oh I know what you mean Susan. I too was told it was rabbits LAST year, but I knew better. Heck, I had a baby rabbit hide in my yard a few summers ago (about 2008) and that little fella NEVER touched my plants EVER, so I knew that wasn't it.
After I discovered the opossum and shared that knowledge with others… one lady on Park Road South in Oshawa thought someone was going by her home nightly plucking the blossoms one night then the leaves the next night and then the stems the next… until those I shared this story with, informed her. Now she too knows.
Another friend had his mother phone him screaming that a giant rat was into her tomatoes in her back yard. He giggled and told his mom about my story so she too has come to know the culprit.
It's pure and simple: Oshawa has been invaded by the opossum and NO newspaper wants to cover this story. Go figure, huh.
I have been baffeled as to what has eaten my impatients this year. Thanks for some insight. Any idea on how to protect these beautiful flowers?
Hi Toni,
The only product I've found so far (but, I have yet to test it) is Shake-Away. It's guaranteed by the manufacturer else I wouldn't even mention it here. All other ideas do NOT work.
So far, I've only located one Canadian source for Shake-Away and that is http://www.birdxcanada.com/shake_away/shake_away_… but if you can wait until next summer… and if you live close enough to Oshawa… I printed off lots of info on Shake-Away and handed it all off to Kingsway Greenhouses employees in hope that they'll have the product available for the summer of 2013.
Apparently, there's a nest of these critters in the empty field/lot just east of the 5-Points Mall on Taunton Road. Also, 2 dead babies were recently found on the pathways in Centennial Park at Ritson Rd. and Hillcroft St., so they're here to stay!
this is an amazing article, thanks!
You're welcome Camilo!
Thanks for such an excellent post, I am impressed! Keep this kind of stuff coming.
Thanks Ester!
You are not crazy! We too have disappearing impatiens. It does not matter if they are in the ground, in hanging baskets or in pots. The light colored ones were the first to go. My theory is that they show up better at night. I suspect the red ones will be next. Sadly, no more impatiens in our garden.
A gardener neighbour plants onions amongst his flowers to stave off aphids… and the onions smell, well like onions… (some people may NOT like the onion smell in a flower garden) but that MIGHT work to discourage the delicate aroma (…aroma, do impatiens even have that?) of the impatiens being detected via the wind… maybe?
Also… last fall, my neighour to the north cleaned up his backyard of the many large trees and shrubs that were badly neglected, and I THINK I might get away with planting SOME impatiens this year. Perhaps the opossum won't come back because so much brush has been removed! Time will tell.
Either way, if the scamp comes back he'll be captured on video and offered up here as follow-up evidence of my backyard trespasser.
I wonder if that’s what ate MY impatiens this year Trish. Thanks for this info. I too will be reconsidering not planting impatiens this year. Feeding wildlife was not my idea when planting my garden last summer.
I hear ya' Mike… me neither.